Deeper Into The Pool
by wispykitty
Summary: When Neil makes a new friend, the blond hero suddenly realizes that maybe he does need a bit more in life than just himself. But will luck be enough to save him when things get out of hand, or will he need his hero friends to come to his rescue again?
1. Making Acquaintances

**Summary**: Everyone has their place in this group of seven with a definite strength, an asset understood and appreciated by their team mates. Everyone except for Neil. When he makes a new friend, the blond hero suddenly realizes that maybe he does need a bit more in life than just himself. But will luck be enough to save him when things get out of hand, or will he need his hero friends to come to his rescue again?  
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Chapter 1 – Neil's New Friend**

The day was sunny, hot, but not too humid. The seven stood outside the Brownstone they lived in, more than ready for a day off. Theresa and Atlanta sat on the steps, where they'd been waiting for the remainder of the gang to meet them. Now that their friends had shown up, the girls were ready to venture out.

"So what are we doing? Anyone feel like going for a run to start the day?" The heat certainly wouldn't keep Atlanta from her favourite activity.

"I think that's a good idea, even if it is a nice day on the weekend, we should still keep up with our physical training. So who's up for a run?" Jay stood in his usual spot, directly in front of the others; hands on his hips as though ready to debate anyone who wouldn't agree with him.

"Is that really necessary? Don't you remember what happened the last time I went for a run? It was a bad scene." Odie leaned against the column at the bottom of the steps, not entirely sold on the idea. He would have rather returned inside to play a game over the network with the techno Greeks.

"Oh come on Odie! If anyone should be running, it's you! Just because you're the brains of the group, doesn't mean you get to neglect working out." Archie quickly took to teasing his friend.

"Archie, stuff it. Some people just don't like running. It's up to you Odie, if you want to come, we'll all support you." Atlanta glared at Archie for a split second before commenting to Odie, sure to stress the idea that all of them would support the least physical member of the group.

Not quite sure why he was feeling so quick to cave to peer pressure today, Odie gave up before he'd even started. "Oh all right. I guess giving it a second try couldn't hurt."

As the rest of the group plotted out a course, Neil slipped on his shades and looked up at the sky. It was too hot for him to work out today, he'd sweat too much and sweating did nothing for his look. He leaned against the column opposite from Odie, his gaze directed off in the distance. No, he certainly didn't feel like running today.

"Neil, are you coming?" The group had already taken off, leaving only Theresa behind to prod Neil out of his apparent daydream.

Once he noticed the group had already gone, he glanced at Theresa and shook his head. "No thanks, I'll just be at the park, probably work on my tan. You know, something more fitting one of my good looks." He winked at Theresa before she rolled her eyes and nodded her head, blurting out a quick goodbye before sprinting off to join the others. Neil watched her leave, frowning slightly and thinking to himself. _Well, they certainly aren't going to miss me, they didn't even ask before taking off! Oh well._

Neil adjusted his sunglasses one final time before heading off in the direction of the park, his momentary displeasure at being left out again all but forgotten now. There was bound to be better company at the park than his team mates, after all. He strolled casually down the sidewalk, a smile being shot back at every pair of eyes that were pulled toward him. The attention never did get old for the blond.

Once at the park Neil took his customary spot by the fountain, checking his reflection in the water. Perfect as always, every hair right where it ought to be. Cocking his head to the right, he admired the way his hair fell away from his head at this angle, the way it seemed to ripple in the water. He wondered if it looked as beautiful without the water reflecting it, so he pulled out his mirror and flipped it open. Holding it down at an angle that reflected the image he saw in the water, he smiled. Of course he looked just as beautiful reflected in his mirror as he looked reflected on the water.

He shut his mirror and slipped it back in his pocket, returning his gaze to the water. Placing a finger into the cool liquid he swirled it around, intrigued at how even a distorted portrait of him was still gorgeous. He was curious if he looked any better with any particular flow of the water, so for the next while he swirled his finger first to the right in a clockwise manner, then to the left, eventually moving the finger up and down, finally zigzagging in a diagonal pattern. He was pleased to find that no matter which way the water moved, it didn't detract from his reflection at all. He was beautiful from all angles.

It was only after the water settled that he noticed another figure reflected beside his and he quickly looked behind him. There stood a boy, likely close to his own age, with curly brown hair and deep brown eyes. Neil stared up at him for a moment, wondering if he was simply intrigued by his beauty too, or if he actually wanted something. "Can I help you?" Neil's voice was just slightly tinged with a bit of ice—after all, this boy had distracted him from his favourite pastime.

"No, I don't wish to bother you." The boy sat at the fountain, his eyes locked on Neil. "I just, well I couldn't help but notice you…"

Neil huffed his breath out, causing his fringy bangs to lift slightly off his forehead. Another admirer. "Of course, can't say that I blame you." Neil glanced back at the pool, his irritation at the interruption slipping away. The sun was filtering through his reflection now, making his hair glow all the more golden in the water.

"My name is Amery, I just moved here. Do you—" Amery kept his gaze locked on Neil as he spoke, seeming very near distraction as he fought to figure out what he was going to say, "do you go to New Olympia?"

Neil glanced back at Amery, annoyance once more crossing his face. "Uh, buddy, we're in New Olympia."

Amery shook his head and lowered his gaze, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "No, I, I meant the high school. Do you go there?" He looked back up at Neil, his expression hopeful.

"Of course I do." Neil leaned back on his hands, wondering what this guy's deal was. If he wanted an autograph or a picture, he should just say so.

"Great, so do I! Well, not yet. I'm starting there on Monday though. So, uh, maybe we'll have classes together or something." Amery looked hopeful again.

"Yeah, if you're lucky." Neil glanced over his shoulder at the water, admiring his reflection from this interesting angle.

"So you model too, right? I've seen you. Well, all over the city. You're, um, well you're really beautiful." Amery looked down at his hands, which were absently playing with shirt.

Neil looked back at the boy, finally really looking at him. He was quite lovely, truth be told. He also dressed very well, his clothes looked very sophisticated and stylish. Perhaps he wouldn't be so bad, if only he stopped being so shy. Flashing him a charming smile, Neil responded to the compliment. "Hey, thanks! Modelling is one of my favourite things to do."

"Well you're very good at it." Amery looked back up at Neil, his own lips parting to match the smile Neil wore. It was as though Neil's full attention being paid to him had shaken the boy out of his shyness. "I'm surprised someone like you would just sit out here in the open. Aren't you worried?"

A look of confusion flashed over Neil's face momentarily. "Worried about what?" Surely this kid wasn't referring to Chronus, was he? There was no way he could know.

"Oh you know that someone might recognize you and bother you? I guess I'm probably doing that now, aren't I?" Amery once again looked down at his hands, as though ashamed that he was indeed causing Neil any sort of distress.

But with the boy's earlier compliment to his looks still in mind, Neil waved a hand in his direction. "Oh no! You're no bother at all! It's nice to have some company that appreciates everything I have to offer, for a change. Unlike certain friends of mine…" Neil huffed lightly as his thoughts drifted to a little earlier that morning. Now that he thought about it, it certainly hadn't been the first time the group had done something without bothering to wait for his opinion.

Amery seemed shocked by Neil's answer. "Your friends don't appreciate you? How can they not?" The brown-haired boy appeared aghast at the notion of Neil being mistreated by anyone.

"Oh, you know. They're, uh, not really modelling types. They much prefer exercising and wrestling and computer games, that sort of thing. Would you believe they actually think I spend too much time looking at myself in the mirror?" Even though he was complaining, Neil was actually in a very good mood right now. He finally seemed to have found a truly captive audience.

Amery sighed sadly, portraying compassion and sympathy to the blond model very well. "It must be rough, not having friends who appreciate all the hard work you put into what you do. Don't you have anyone who understands?"

Neil thought briefly about the question. He supposed he did have Aphrodite, but he couldn't really make mention of the goddess. So he shook his head. "Not really. Even my agents don't really get it, you know. Sometimes they just schedule me for really horrid photo shoots! You'd think by now they'd know what I want. But no, nobody ever thinks about me. My desires always go unnoticed and unfulfilled!" Neil huffed and shook his head, wondering if he indeed looked as sad as he was aiming for. Casting a brief glance at his reflection, he was overjoyed to see that he was indeed pulling off a very believable expression. Not that he wasn't really upset, but he wanted to make sure he looked as upset as he felt.

Amery nodded his head in understanding. "I can only imagine how hard it must be for you. Do they at least listen to you when you want to talk about the problems you have? Or do they just brush you off?"

"They just brush me off, of course. They don't understand and they don't really care." Unfortunately for Neil, he was starting to really realize that what he was saying was actually completely true. When was the last time any of his supposed friends had asked him how his day had gone? When was the last time someone asked him if he wanted to talk about anything?

"Well, I could, well I don't want to seem intrusive or anything…" Once more Amery seemed a little self-conscious, and struggled to lift his head and look at Neil. "I would listen to you. I would try my hardest to understand whatever problem is bothering you."

Neil studied the boy intently, his sudden thoughts about his uncaring team mates forcing him to really think about the subject. Finally he smiled at Amery. "I bet you would. I bet we have a lot in common, you and me. What did you say your name was, again?" Neil had reached the conclusion that this boy would be indeed be his companion, his new friend. Maybe if he had someone else around all the time, it would make the others realize how badly they were treating him.

"Amery." The teen's brown eyes sparkled at Neil's comment, overjoyed that the blond could possibly think so highly of him.

"Amery, that's a good name. I bet we'd even look good in pictures together! Not that I really like modelling with others, of course, but the industry sometimes requires a little give, you know. You have really nice hair, though." Neil once again gave his new friend a good look, impressed a second time at his appearance. Definitely better looking than any of the others, and definitely a better dresser.

"Do you really think so? Of course I wouldn't want to detract from your beauty, though. But you'd know best what would work. I'd gladly just stand by your side and watch a master at work." Amery smiled shyly, elated that Neil could possibly think so highly of him already!

"Don't worry; I'm sure you wouldn't detract from me at all! After all, we're opposites, you're dark and I'm light, so we'd play off naturally together. I'd be the centre of attention though, since I am the golden one." Neil was finding himself quite excited with this new prospect. It would be fun to have someone who appreciated him, someone who understood him. Amery also didn't seem to have much of a problem with deflecting control to others, which Neil couldn't say of his other friends. With the group it was a constant struggle for leadership, even with Jay being the head. But Jay wasn't as snazzy a dresser as he was. Amery would understand how these things worked, Neil had a feeling he'd be able to count on his new friend in that sense.

"Of course, you would be the sun and rays of light would surround you. I would just serve to remind everyone how brightly you shine." Amery felt as though his deepest desire was being answered now; he really wanted to be friends with Neil.

Neil smiled brightly, very happy with Amery's choice of words. This one certainly knew how to compliment a boy. "You know, I like you. You're a keeper." He grinned at his new friend and pulled out his mirror, checking his reflection. Amery was right; his hair was a nice shade to reflect the sun and it perfectly framed around his face. He was like a little bit of sunlight.

Amery smiled brightly at the comment, content to be kept by Neil. Anything to be in the blond's presence. "So, hey, do you maybe, want to go somewhere for lunch? If you're not busy?"

Neil closed his mirror and stuck it back in his pocket. "Would I ever! I am famished. Let's go." The two boys left their spots at the fountain, but not before Neil looked down into the water again. Yes, while Amery did compliment him, he definitely still stood out more. He put an arm around the brown haired boy's shoulders, leading him into the city streets, listing off different restaurants and the food they served. Amery seemed prepared to go along with whatever Neil wanted, which suited the young hero just fine. He finally had someone who was willing to pay full attention to him, along with complimenting his every decision. This is what Neil had desired since starting at the school. If he was going to be stuck training, the least he could have is someone to appreciate his hard work at the end of the day. Now it appeared he'd have that person, what with Amery starting at school. He was so excited at the prospect that he didn't even give any thought to his other friends and what they might think of a sudden addition.

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**Author Notes**: For those of you who've read up on Narcissus, yes, Amery is indeed inspired by one version of the story. Also, don't worry, I promise Amery will overcome his shy fangirl routine soon, right now he's just learning to deal with actually being around Neil. But it is nice for Neil to finally have someone truly seem to appreciate him, isn't it? ;) I've got quite a bit of time on my hands lately, so hopefully this thing will be updated fairly quickly! I hope you all enjoy my Neil. :) 


	2. Lucky Me

**Author Notes**: First off, thanks for the reviews! Glad people have been intrigued. :) In answer to one question from Ketsueki-Ken, no, Amery isn't working for Chronus. At least not yet. ;) But I don't want to give anything away!

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Odie was breathing heavily as he finally got back to the Brownstone, his heart racing and his lungs pumping. Or at least it felt like they were. It felt as though his rib cage were going to shatter under the pressure of his expanding lungs. But the rate at which they depleted took the strain off. So instead of actually cracking, his ribs just kept feeling as though they were being kicked from the inside. Perhaps it was a sign that he needed to work out more.

"Alright, way to go, Odie! I actually didn't expect you to make it all the way." Archie clapped a hand on Odie's shoulder, congratulating him.

Odie nodded, still too out of breath to speak. He simply sat down on the steps, or tried to, before Atlanta grabbed his hand and pulled him up. "Oh no you don't, after that run you shouldn't stop right away; it's not good for your heart. Here, walk around with me for a minute, give your body a chance to slow down." Atlanta put an arm around Odie's shoulders, not really giving him a choice in the matter.

Archie watched on in annoyance, aggravated that his attempt to be supportive, at least in his own way, had been ignored by Atlanta. What use was it? He leaned against one of the columns at the base of the stairs, stretching out his legs. It had indeed been a good run and he was itching to hit the shower. It was a good thing Neil hadn't come, so there wouldn't be much of a tie up in the guys' bathroom.

Jay stood by Theresa, also feeling great after the run. "It's too bad Neil didn't come, where did he say he was going?" He looked next to him at Theresa, who shrugged her shoulders.

"To the park to work on his tan." She laughed, shaking her head. "You know Neil; it's probably too hot out for him to do anything aside from lying in the sun and looking pretty." The two friends laughed and made their way inside along with the others. As they all made their way to their rooms, they decided that after taking showers and freshening up, perhaps they'd follow Neil's idea and take a much needed afternoon of fun at the beach.

Meanwhile, Neil and Amery were sitting on the shaded patio of one of New Olympia's nicest restaurants. Neil loved to dine at the trendiest places; since he was a little on the famous side, he didn't want to be captured somewhere embarrassing. The other patrons were all nicely dressed and well groomed, looking expensive. Of his six friends, only Theresa seemed to appreciate the finer things in life like nice restaurants. Neil frowned as he thought about the others; since they'd left the park, he'd been focused solely on telling his favourite modelling stories to Amery.

The waiter interrupted his thoughts though as their food was brought: a filet of rainbow trout in white wine sauce for Amery, and linguine with squid rings for Neil. Neil looked at his meal appreciatively, finding the smooth rings of seafood to be quite lovely. They were all perfectly shaped and smooth, as though they'd been buffed before being cooked to ensure no imperfections were seen. He picked up his fork and laid his napkin across his lap. Looking across the table at Amery, Neil smiled. "This was a good idea, this looks excellent!"

Amery nodded, mimicking Neil's actions. "It does, this place is really nice! You must know all the right places to go here though."

"Oh, do I ever! I only go to the best places, after all. It wouldn't do to have someone photograph me at some, average place. It wouldn't do for my image, you know." Neil set about gathering a manageable fork full of food, savouring the great taste as he pulled it off his fork and into his mouth. The two boys shared pleasant conversation— mostly relating to Neil, of course, while they enjoyed their meal. Just as Neil never tired talking about himself, it seemed that Amery wasn't about to tire of hearing about the blond.

The new friends spent the better part of the late afternoon there, receiving their share of stares and giggles from girls walking by, who all tried to catch the pair's eyes. Neil didn't pay attention to half of them, so engrossed in his stories, and Amery paid attention to none of them, too engrossed in Neil. Finally the boys left the restaurant, walking the streets downtown. Neil pointed out the only acceptable places to shop or visit in the city, and Amery listened with rapt attention. Finally as the evening began to grow dark, the boys made their way back toward Neil's neighbourhood.

"So, where do you live, anyway?" Neil asked Amery, wondering if it was close by.

"Not too far, only three blocks away, actually. It's nice that we're so close, right?" By now Amery had gotten over his shyness in speaking to Neil, though he still looked to the blond for reassurance at every comment.

Neil nodded, seeming to be quite happy indeed. "Excellent! Well, here I am, so now you know where to find me." Neil stopped before the home he shared with the six others, surprised that he'd managed to spend an entire day with this new friend of his and not find himself bored. It was a good sign.

"So, will I see you tomorrow, then?" The boys made plans to head to the beach the following day, since Neil hadn't quite gotten around to working on his tan today after all. Waving goodbye to Amery, Neil walked into the Brownstone with a wide smile on his face, finding the others sitting around the tv, watching a movie. It was something they did often on Saturday nights.

"So, he finally returns!" The group sniggered at Archie's comment, as Neil stood in the doorway to the living room. "Where've you been all day? Staring in a mirror?"

Neil ignored the jokes, as lame as they were, and the laughter. Instead he simply stared at his friends, no trace of bitterness on his face. There was a slight smug look to his expression, though. "I spent the day with a new friend of mine. We went out for a late lunch at a nice restaurant, and then we walked around town and talked."

The rest of the group looked a little surprised at the direct answer, not knowing exactly what to make of it. While Neil often bragged about his fans, he'd never mentioned a friend before. When had he developed this friend?

"Oh, who's the friend?" Jay inquired politely, curiosity strong.

"Oh, nobody you'd know." Neil replied, sounding entirely too pleased with himself. His friend's confused reactions were so far right on track. He wanted them to ask questions.

"Oh really?" Archie responded to Neil's bait, a bit of annoyance souring his voice. Of the whole group, Archie usually reacted the most strongly to Neil's attitude.

"Oh indeed, Archie. He comes from a higher class of society, after all. He probably wouldn't associate with common people." Well into his usual routine now, Neil pulled out his mirror, flipping it open and checking his hair. Perfect.

"Oh come on; let's just get back to the movie. If Neil's new friend is so above us, then maybe we'll be lucky and he'll keep Neil occupied and out of our hair." Atlanta nudged Archie, who laughed and nodded his head at her comment. Teasing Neil was one subject he could always count on Atlanta to pick up on.

Neil glanced away from his mirror, shooting a glare Atlanta's way. That wasn't the kind of reaction he'd been expecting! "Maybe I will spend more time with him! He appreciates me and my talent." At this comment his six friends could barely suppress their laughter, obviously taking exception to the comment. Neil huffed loudly and turned his back, making his way to his room. He slammed the door behind him, feeling very annoyed with his house mates. They were supposed to be jealous and curious! He should have been fending off their questions now, instead of sulking on his bed. Looking into his mirror once again, Neil couldn't understand how they could possibly continually tease him the way they did. Everyone else seemed to obsess over him, why were they acting so different?

Back in the living room, Jay had watched Neil stalk off, a little surprised. Usually the blond would have made a quick retort back to Atlanta, but for some reason he had acted differently tonight. Now Jay was even more curious about this friend of Neil's. Looking over at Atlanta and Archie, Jay frowned. "Guys, that's enough picking on Neil. It seemed to bother him."

Atlanta rolled her eyes at Jay's comment. "Oh come on, if it did bother him, it's about time! Maybe now he'll think twice before acting so arrogant again."

"I agree with Atlanta! Neil brings it on himself, Jay. If you're so worried about him, why don't you go play counsellor and find out what's eating him?" Archie jumped on the opportunity to agree again with his crush, hoping it would strengthen their bond.

"Maybe I should." Jay surprised the group by getting up and leaving the room, heading down the hallway that led to Neil's room. Theresa watched him go, feeling a little guilty. Maybe Neil had been upset over their abrupt actions this morning, leaving without asking him what his plans were. She hadn't exactly been super kind to him either, she supposed. So it was with a pang of guilt that she returned her attention to the movie, hoping that Jay would sort out whatever was wrong with Neil.

The blond was currently lying on his bed, his compact held over him. He was looking at his eyes, ensuring each of his eyelashes were properly separated and shaped. They were always perfect, but one could never be sure. He was so engrossed in his act that he didn't notice when Jay knocked on his door. He finally looked up once he heard it open, looking in shock at Jay, who was standing there peering around the door.

"Neil? I knocked, but you didn't answer." When Neil didn't shoo him out of the room, Jay entered, closing the door behind him and walking over to Neil's bed and sitting down. "Is everything okay?" Jay couldn't help but shake the feeling that Neil had changed somewhat, that he could see something different in Neil's face tonight.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired of not being appreciated." Neil returned his attention to his mirror, going back to his eyes.

Jay watched his friend for a moment in silence, not knowing what to make of him. "We do appreciate you, Neil—"

"Oh please, no one appreciates me on this team! I'm just someone to have around for amusement, or to use as bait! Admit it, Jay. You don't think I'm useful." Neil said all of this with little emotion, more as though he were making a simple observation instead of a complaint about the way he was treated.

"That's not true! You're highly useful—"

Neil interrupted him before he could go any further. "Name one time I did something useful to the team." Not quite sure why he was suddenly pressing Jay, as usually the leader's attempt at assuaging his wounded ego by declaring him useful would have been enough.

Jay looked surprised, as though he obviously hadn't been expecting Neil to demand examples. "Well, that time with the ants—"

"Pure luck." Neil didn't look up from his mirror as he answered.

"Medusa—"

"Luck." Neil continued to respond to every example Jay gave him by quoting that it hadn't been any skill at all of his, that it was only due to his being so lucky.

"Well then that's the point, Neil! You're lucky. Luckier than anyone I've ever known. Your luck is highly useful; we'd have been stranded numerous times without it." Jay was beginning to grow a little frustrated at Neil's behaviour; it was so unlike him.

Neil didn't respond right away, but instead gazed into his mirror, entranced by his reflection. Then he finally snapped it shut and looked at Jay. "Sometimes luck runs out. What then?" He was unusually moody in his response; unusual in the way he was now pushing Jay, waiting to see him if he would continue fighting their verbal battle or give up.

Jay was confused, to say the least. Neil always spent hours talking about his skills and positive traits to any foolish enough to engage him, but now it was as though his confidence in himself had all but disappeared. Jay regarded him curiously as he went about formulating an answer. "Then we deal with it as a team. There's more to you then just luck, Neil. Even though you don't always show it, you do have good fighting skills."

"But I hate fighting, Jay. I'm not meant for that kind of lifestyle, not like you or Theresa, or any of the others. I'm not supposed to be a fighter. I'm only training in case something ever happens and none of you are there to save me." His eyes focused on Jay, Neil's gaze was piercing and intense. He didn't feel particularly intense at the moment; he didn't really feel much of anything. He was just growing tired of Jay's questions.

Jay was quiet then, simply watching Neil, their eyes locked. Though he'd been slightly intimidated by the sudden intensity behind his friend's gaze, it was more due to surprise. Neil looked angry, though he didn't sound angry. It was all quite confusing to Jay. Finally deciding that he was getting nowhere, Jay stood up. "Alright then, if that's the way you feel. I'm going back out with the others; are you going to come, or stay here?" He hoped Neil would come with him, he didn't feel comfortable leaving the blond alone to his thoughts at the moment.

To Jay's displeasure, Neil shook his head. "No, you go. I'll stay here with the only person in this house who appreciates me. Goodnight, Jay." With that said Neil picked up his mirror again and flipped it open, which was as good a sign of dismissal as any. He didn't once look up as Jay left his room and pulled the door shut, focusing only on his own reflection. "No one understands you, Neil. No one appreciates you." He spent the remainder of the night lying on his bed, his eyes watching his reflection. Unlike his usual actions, Neil wasn't happily checking his reflection from different angles, constantly reassuring himself that he was just as beautiful as he always was. This time he simply stared at himself, his heart growing heavy and his lips frowning. A cloud of darkness had settled over his usually joyous nature and it wasn't appearing to let up anytime soon.

As Neil remained in his room Jay returned to the others, retaking his seat on the armchair, but with a frown upon his face. The others didn't notice, they barely even acknowledged his return. He tried to watch the movie but just couldn't get into it, too worked up over Neil's strange reaction to his questions. He badly wanted to go to the school and speak to Hera; hopefully she could put his mind at ease. Instead he remained on the chair, determined to try and figure everything out before approaching her about it. If Neil's mood hadn't returned to normal by Monday, he would speak to his mentor then.

When the movie ended he took the opportunity to slip quietly out of the room, leaving the others to quick debate about which movie they would watch next. He opened the front door of the house and sat on the steps, curiosity gnawing at him. He was so focused on his thoughts that he didn't hear the door open behind him.

"Jay? What happened with Neil?" Theresa had noticed Jay leave the room and with a quick glance at the others, had followed him. His behaviour was causing her to worry. She sat down beside him on the steps, hoping that he would confide whatever was bothering him to her.

"I don't know, Theresa. He's acting really weird." Not elaborating yet, Jay's attention was on a lone figure standing across the street. He'd noticed the man standing there as soon as he'd left the house and though he hadn't thought anything of him at the time, a few minutes had passed and he was still standing there, leaning back against the building under the lamplight. Jay couldn't see his face since he was wearing the hood up on his sweatshirt, pulled down low enough to keep his face hidden in shadows.

Theresa, however, had focused all her attention on Jay. "What happened? Was he upset about this morning?" As the movie had gone on, Theresa had only felt increasingly guiltier. While they always teased Neil and treated him differently than they did each other, she'd never really given thought to how Neil might feel about it. He always seemed so wrapped up in himself.

Jay finally tore his eyes away from the figure for a moment, glancing at Theresa. "I don't know. He just kept saying that he was tired of not being appreciated. He just seems, less confident about his place in the team as usual. He actually asked me what would happen if his luck ever ran out." Jay looked back across the street, noting with a feeling of unease that the figure remained where it was standing.

"He said that? That's definitely not like our Neil. That's really strange. Do you think it has anything to do with that new friend of his?" Theresa was shocked at Neil's response to Jay's questions. She had never once heard him speak about himself in a manner that wasn't completely egoist.

"I don't know. We'll have to meet the guy, I guess. Maybe Chronus has something to do with it after all." Jay couldn't stop staring at the figure across the street, his sense of unease rising. Who was the guy, and why was he just standing there? "But maybe it's nothing, and Neil is just having a moment, or something. I'll talk to Hera about it if he's still acting strange on Monday. It might be nothing." Though he didn't believe for a moment that it was nothing, Jay also didn't want to raise too much suspicion. He knew Theresa would have picked up on his worry whether or not he'd told her anything, but he didn't want the others to pick up on it. "Make sure this stays between us, okay?"

Theresa nodded at Jay's request, finally looking over across the street to try and figure out what he was staring at. She felt the same sense of unease about the hooded figure. After staring at him for a moment she suddenly clutched at her head, making a slight noise of discomfort. A vision. _It was dark and there, in the middle of a circle of trees, was a ring of stones encasing a pool of water. There was no movement, no ripple in the breeze. Only inky blackness._ She shook her head as she was roused out of the vision, finally feeling Jay's hand on her shoulder.

"Theresa? What did you see?" Jay had witnessed enough of her episodes by now to know when the red head was having a vision. Now he waited patiently for her to put it in her own words.

"I don't know, it's foggy, Jay. There was water, though. I think." Frustrated that she couldn't remember exactly what she had seen, Theresa frowned and once again looked across the street. The hooded figure was gone.

Jay looked up when Theresa did; also noticing that finally the man had left. There was no sign of him though, so it was unknown where he'd gone. As uneasy as Jay had felt looking at the figure, he felt even more on edge now that he was gone. Grabbing Theresa's arm Jay pulled her up and with him, back into the house. Once they were safely inside the protected dwelling, their eyes met. "You felt it too, didn't you?"

There was no need for Jay to explain what he was talking about, Theresa knew. "I wonder who that guy was. I wonder if he caused my vision." The two stood silently at the door for some time, neither saying anything more. Finally when they looked at one another again, they agreed to keep the vision silent until Monday, at which point they would discuss it with Hera. For now they separated and went to their rooms, both pondering what had just occurred.

Meanwhile in his room, Neil had fallen asleep with his mirror still before him. It was an unpleasant sleep, in which he kept tossing and turning, murmuring silently about being unappreciated, but never waking. After a few hours of restless sleep he finally drifted off to a quiet slumber, his mirror still held in his hands.

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**Author Notes**: Next chapter, the gang will meet Amery! But what will they think of him? And will Neil still be feeling all morose and worthless? You'll just have to wait and see. ;) 


	3. First Impression

**Author Notes**: And another chapter underway! Thank you to all reviewers so far. In answer to a few questions: **Hawaiin Ginger** – I totally was not intending to include much of the couples in my story, but I am kinda diggin' my Jay and Theresa, so there probably will be a bit of fluff for those two ahead. Probably no AXA though for anyone into that pairing, because while they do fit together, I'm not a big fan of their relationship, so I won't be writing them any scenes together. Unless they're being jerks to Neil. ;) **QK** – the name you're looking for is Ameinias, provided you're thinking of the same Narcissus tale as I am. Let me know if that was the one you were thinking of, I'm curious. Now there were a few other questions, but I'm not at liberty to discuss those just yet! So you'll just have to read on and wait patiently for answers. ;)

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Sunlight reflecting from every angle in the heavily mirrored room, Neil awoke to a pounding headache. Opening bleary eyes he tilted his head to the right, checking his reflection in the mirrored wall beside his bed. "Oh dear, you look horrible…" Shutting his eyes again he brought his left hand up to his head, pressing his fingers over his eyes as though attempting to drown out the light. He was tired, a feeling that was quite unusual for him as he slept soundly most nights.

Rolling over onto his side, Neil dropped both feet over the side of the bed to the floor, his toes the only part to touch the carpet. One hand was still pressed to his head as the other held his mirror. After sitting up for a moment and assessing whether his headache would prevent him from walking properly, he finally stood up. He arched his back and stretched his neck, peeling his fingers away from his eyes to open them and peer around the room. He walked over to the door, his hand resting on the cool metal doorknob for a moment before twisting it open.

He left his room and emerged into the hall, silently padding down the hallway to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of spring water, holding the bottle under one arm as he twisted off the cap. He still held his mirror in the other hand. He brought the bottle up to his mouth, draining one third of the contents before stopping. He felt slightly better and chanced a glance into his mirror, noting with pleasure that he looked improved from only minutes before. Sipping more of the water he then sat at the kitchen table, his mirror held out in front of him as he laid down the bottle and began combing through his hair with his fingers. He was so engrossed in his task that he didn't hear the sound of soft footsteps joining him in the kitchen.

"Good morning, Neil." Theresa hadn't slept too well either that night, her head slightly aching this morning. She had decided, however, that she was going to make a concerted effort to be nicer to Neil, starting this morning.

"Morning." Now that he was done combing through his hair, Neil was arranging his fringy bangs over his eyes.

"Did you sleep well last night?" As she went to the fridge, Theresa tried to make polite conversation, though she found herself at a loss for something to say. She wanted to ask Neil about his friend, but she felt it would simply be too strange.

"Not at all. Mind tossing me an apple?" Neil didn't look up from the mirror as he made his request, his eyes straying from himself only when he took a sip from his water bottle.

Dropping down and hiding her face behind the fridge door, Theresa had to fight off a wave of annoyance at Neil's request. It was so like him, to just demand something without even so much as a simple please! She had to remind herself of her plan to be nice to the blond, so instead of replying as usual and telling him to get his own food, Theresa took an apple from the fridge, along with an orange for herself, and sat down at the table and handed it to Neil.

Still fixing his hair, Neil wrinkled his nose as Theresa handed him the piece of fruit. "The least you could do is wash it, you know! There could be tons of germs on that thing, are you trying to make me sick?" Neil didn't take the offered fruit.

Theresa stared at him in shock, shaking her head slightly. However, she suddenly remembered Jay's comments from the night before, about Neil acting strange. So her aggravation was suddenly washed underneath a wave of relief. This was typical, day-to-day behaviour for Neil and it made her smile. So relieved was she that Theresa actually went to the sink and washed the apple, towelling it dry before handing it to him.

Neil finally looked away from his mirror at the apple, his eyes then travelling up to meet Theresa's. "I suppose it would be asking too much if you could cut it up for me?" Neil flashed a smile at Theresa, not expecting her to actually do it.

Though the request also made her relieved that apparently Neil was back to being Neil again, this request was a bit much. She grinned and laid the apple before him on the table. "Yes, Neil, that would be asking too much." Pulling out a napkin and laying it before her, Theresa started to peel her orange, noting with surprise that Neil picked up his apple and bit into it. She stopped what she was doing and fixed him with a usual glare. "I thought you wanted it cut."

Neil looked back at her and grinned. "I just wanted to see if you'd actually do it. I'm too lazy to bother getting a knife, so I'll just eat it normally." Then he returned his attention to his mirror, alternating between pursing his lips at himself and eating apple.

Theresa shook her head and returned to the orange, annoyed at Neil, but still glad for the usual feelings. It was a sense of normalcy that had been thrown off the day before. As the two sat eating their fruit in silence, they were soon joined by Jay. He looked pointedly at Theresa, who gave him a look as if to say that things seemed to be back to normal this morning. Though he trusted Theresa's judgement, Jay wanted to check it out for himself. "Hey Neil, got any plans for the day?" Jay stood by the table, looking down at Neil.

The blond didn't look up at Jay, as he was still occupied with making his reflection look perfect. "Yeah actually I do." He didn't elaborate at first, which caused Theresa and Jay to glance at each other, before Jay prompted him on what he was doing. "Oh, I'm meeting my new friend and we're going to the beach. I had meant to go tanning yesterday, but I got sidetracked."

"So, who is this guy, Neil? Do we get to meet him?" Jay couldn't help but feel like Neil's father, as though he were questioning him before going out on a date with someone new. He hadn't meant to sound so protective and he hoped Neil wouldn't pick up on it.

Luckily for Jay, Neil was still too distracted to pay full attention to Jay. "Oh sure you can meet him!" Finally Neil looked up, as though he were excited at the notion of introducing his friends to his new acquaintance. "His name is Amery, he'll be dropping by soon. He'll be starting at school with us on Monday." Neil finished his apple, leaving the core on a napkin on the table and picking up his water bottle and draining it.

"That's great." Jay was pleased. He'd been curious about this new friend of Neil's yesterday, and he was also happy to note that as Theresa had suggested, Neil seemed to be back to normal. Jay went to the fridge, opening it and taking out a carton of eggs. "Anyone else want some eggs?"

"Sure thing; make me two sunny side up, and make sure they're properly cooked, I like the yolk runny, and no spices in it, Jay!" Neil immediately made his request, looking thoughtful for a moment before continuing. "Are you going to make some bacon too? I'd like some bacon and maybe a glass of orange juice while you're at it."

Jay looked at Theresa, who wore a smug expression on her face. From the way Neil was acting now, it almost made Jay wonder if he hadn't just imagined the previous night's actions. Instead of questioning, he took the bacon out of the freezer and asked Theresa if she'd also like some. Then he set about cooking breakfast, still at it as Herry emerged and placed his order. With the four teens in the kitchen, conversation was now running smoothly.

Two hours later, Neil was looking himself over one final time before preparing to leave the house. Amery was due to arrive at any moment now and he wanted to look his best. For the first time now he wondered what Amery would think of the other six, pausing for a moment to ponder this new question. He imagined that he would probably like Theresa, as long as she kept her haughty attitude under check. Jay would probably be fine as well, even if he didn't dress as snazzy as Neil did. Amery probably wouldn't know what to do with Herry, and Archie and Atlanta would probably only offend him in some way with their comments. Unless Atlanta was in a friendly mood this morning, as she was every now and then. Archie was always a little crotchety though, no matter what time of the day it was. With any luck, uber geek Odie would probably hide out in the basement until after they'd left. He liked Odie well enough, but he wasn't sure he wanted Amery to meet him right away.

Neil heard the doorbell ring and knew it was his friend, so he took another moment to assess himself. Jay would probably get the door and he didn't want to give the impression that he'd been sitting around, waiting for the other boy. Amery could wait for him.

Just as Neil figured, Jay tried his best to walk calmly to the door, curious for a glimpse of Neil's friend. A smile on his lips he opened the door, coming face to face with a lovely boy with curly brown hair and warm brown eyes. Amery looked at him curiously for a moment before Jay greeted him. "Hi, you must be Amery, Neil's friend?" The boy in question nodded and Jay ushered him into the house. "Neil's still getting ready, so why don't you come and sit down for a minute?" Still unable to shake the feeling of acting like a father, Jay pointed toward the living room.

Amery smiled politely and walked into the room, his eyes flitting around the room quickly, as though he wanted to memorize where everything was situated. His gaze flickered over Theresa, who smiled and waved at him, offering a greeting. Amery responded and sat down on the couch, his eyes still flickering around the room as Jay sat down next to Theresa on the other couch. Shutting his eyes and shaking his head, Jay tried not to act as uncomfortable as he felt.

Luckily for him Theresa appeared to be as comfortable as ever, her eyes happily taking in Amery. Trust Neil to pick out the pretty ones, she thought as she looked him over. She was a little curious about the friendship, though. Neil liked to be the centre of attention, and this boy was quite beautiful in his own right. So why didn't Neil see him as competition? "So, Neil said you're starting at the high school on Monday. Are you looking forward to it? It's not too bad of a school."

Amery took a moment before replying, as though he were finishing his survey of the room before returning his attention to Theresa. "Oh yes, I hope I'll be lucky enough to have Neil in some of my classes. I won't find out until tomorrow, though. They wouldn't give me a schedule any earlier."

Theresa smiled, "yeah, well good luck with that. I have a few classes with Neil myself, so hopefully I'll see you there on Monday." Footsteps could be heard in the hall. They were too light to be Herry, too heavy to be Odie, too slow to be Atlanta, and too swift to be Archie. Theresa was pleased as she watched Neil walk into the room, her ability to tell her team mates apart by footfall still holding. When she looked back at Amery after seeing Neil, it suddenly became obvious to her why Neil didn't consider Amery to be competition.

It became suddenly, stiflingly obvious that Amery adored Neil. His eyes lit up at the sight of the blond, standing up from the couch and smiling at his new friend. For his part, Neil didn't appear to notice the affection in Amery's gaze as anything more than the usual fawning over him that near everyone who met him did. "Neil! I wasn't early, was I?" Amery's eyes were glued to Neil as the blond entered the room and stood by the doorway, casually leaning back against the wall.

"Oh no, you were right on time. I see you met Jay and Theresa, that's nice." Neil glanced at his friends, curious to see their expressions. He happily noted that Theresa seemed especially taken by Amery. Jay also looked a little surprised, as he'd also had the same initial thoughts as Theresa about why Neil would pick someone so good looking to hang out with.

"They were pleasant. Are you ready to go?" Amery seemed eager to leave, as though he'd only been politely putting up with Jay and Theresa until Neil arrived.

"Sure, let me grab my bag and we'll be off." Neil retrieved his bag from the floor by the front hall closet as the other three followed him out to the door.

Amery swiftly walked up to Neil and put a hand on Neil's shoulder bag. "Let me carry that, Neil." Without being too forceful, Amery took the bag from Neil and slung it over his own shoulder, before slipping on his shoes.

Neil just grinned as Amery took the bag, still clueless about Amery's show of affection. He glanced at Jay and Theresa, a smug look on his face. "Well we're off then, I'll see you guys later." He then led Amery out of the house, and in just enough time.

Theresa leapt forward to shut the door, barely closing it before a laugh escaped her mouth. She turned back to Jay; hand over her mouth to stifle the laughter. "Jay, do you think Neil has any idea?"

A little more shocked than amused, Jay stared at the door even after it was shut, looking completely stupefied. He finally met Theresa's gaze and shook his head. "No way. He's so used to people being attracted to him; he probably doesn't realize that Amery seems to see him in a different light. Otherwise he would have mentioned it, wouldn't he?" As Jay continued to think about it, he started to find the humour that was gripping Theresa.

"The way his eyes just lit up the second Neil walked in the room; that was priceless." Theresa remained leaning against the wall, her arms crossed. She had been expecting Neil and Amery to be the picture perfect replica of arrogant young men, battling it out with each other for domination. Instead, Amery was following Neil around like a puppy, carrying his things for him. "Jay, do you think we should warn him? Before school? Then again, that could be really amusing."

Jay grinned, following Theresa's line of thought. "I imagine the girls would probably appreciate that so Neil doesn't give off the wrong impression." Suddenly the expression on Jay's face changed to one of a more serious nature. "Unless, maybe Neil does realize?"

Theresa gave Jay's comment a moment's contemplation before shaking her head. "No, I can't see it. Neil might be a little girly, but he definitely appreciates girls. At least I'm fairly positive." She grinned at the end, suddenly finding the situation even funnier. What if Neil actually was gay and he did realize that Amery wanted him as more than just a friend?

"Maybe we should just stop thinking too much about it. I mean, the guy did just move here, after all. Maybe he just wants to make sure Neil will still be his friend on Monday? Maybe he's not comfortable in groups and that's why he was so happy to see Neil?" Jay was beginning to feel a little guilty for automatically jumping to conclusions about Neil and his new friend.

Theresa only grinned at him, walking over to his side and slinging an arm around his shoulders. "If it makes you feel any better, Jay, let's keep our assumptions to ourselves. Maybe things will change and we'll see that we're wrong. Buy if we are right, that's going to make for some very upset girls at school." Theresa couldn't help but laugh again at the thought. It would be hard to keep her thoughts to herself since they were so unexpected, but she would do her best. Especially since it seemed to be bothering Jay.

"Thanks, Theresa. I just don't want the others to hear about this, we should let them draw their own conclusions. We'll just say that we met Amery and that he was pleasant. Okay?" Even though Jay was curious, he didn't want to discuss Neil's potential love life any further.

"Okay. Now promise me you're not going to spend all day brooding over feeling bad that you jumped to conclusions?" She looked at Jay a little sternly, knowing from experience that that was likely Jay's planned course of action for the day. "Maybe we should do something to take your mind off of it." Jay seemed to perk up at that idea, knowing that he would be better off spending the day occupied so he wouldn't think about Amery. "How about we go to the beach?" Theresa couldn't resist one final comment, laughing as Jay scowled at her. They finally settled on going to the mall to catch a movie, heading off in Theresa's car.

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**Author Notes**: Well, that certainly went well, no? ;) After only a day and night spent contemplating Neil, Amery has indeed fallen helplessly in love with him. But will it be returned? And just what will the girls of New Olympia High think of these two gorgeous boys going everywhere together? We'll most likely see in the next chapter.


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